Then, The Elevator Door Opened
by Humor In A Bittersweet Life
Summary: Tony realizes his love for Ziva when the doors to the elevator at NCIS, open. Chapter Four: Tony brings Ziva a gift
1. One door closes

**Disclaimer: I have NO claim to NCIS or their characters.**

**Summary: Tony realizes that love is right under his nose (Tiva)**

**Title: Then, The Elevator Door Opened.**

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_CHAPTER ONE: One door closes ..._

**When The Elevator Doors Closed…**

**Tony's **POV

I remember the exact moment when I lied to Jeanne Benoit … **then, **the elevator doors closed. That closed a chapter in my life … my love life. Since then, I haven't been able to _**seal the deal **_… you know what I mean. I mean, I really did love her, probably the first time in my life. I was in love. Now, Jenny's gone, Jeanne's gone and most nights, I'm either alone or at a bar, not wanting to be alone. I always leave alone … can't seal the deal, but then again, no one matches up to Dr. Jeanne Benoit.

Then … the elevator door opened.

They say that you can look everywhere … including under a rock, but usually what you are looking for is right under your nose. She was and always has been. Many times, she's actually looking under a rock. In fact, right under my nose. Problem is, she's my partner. Officer David … not David like the guys name, it's Dah - veed. Officer Dah-veed. She's beautiful, smart and can kill a man twelve different ways with a paperclip … cool, huh?

We've been through a lot together. _Jeanne_, believe it or not. She tried to talk to me. She saw my inner turmoil and she tried her hardest to not only be my friend, but butcher the English language along the way. _Jenny_. Her death hit me hard. We had grown close through the whole La Grenouille case … I let her down. During that case I fell in love with my mark. In LA, I should have listened to Ziva. We should have followed her. She may still be alive today if it weren't for me. I carry that with me. Ziva understands that, she doesn't blame me or share my guilt. I won't allow it … it's mine and mine alone. I know that sounds bad of Ziva, but we've talked … she knows where I stand. She wanted to tail the director … I wanted to have fun. I need and want to grow up.

Back to the elevator doors … it was like a revelation. I like her … yes. Was I in love with Ziva? Oh yeah. She's gonna kick my ass when I tell her.

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**_Next up: Ziva's POV. Thanks for reading ... hope you enjoyed it!_**


	2. another door opens

**Too continue ...**

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_CHAPTER TWO: ... another door opens_

**When The Elevator Doors Opened**

**Ziva's **POV

Tony looked startled when the elevator doors opened. They closed just as quickly. My heart skipped a beat or two … that never happens. I don't allow it … ever. I know what that means. My heart has ached for him, longed to hold him tight and let him know that I love him, but I don't want to be _**that **_girl. That girl that he uses for sex and to forget that _**other**_ girl. What do you American's call it? A booby call? I'm no booby. Not even for Tony.

When our eyes met, I saw something. Was it love or lust? He lusts after everything with boobies, but as of late, Tony has not had one, never mind two. He has not gone on a date or a one night sit. Ms. Jeanne Benoit, excuse me … Dr. Jeanne Benoit, has left Tony's boxers tied in a clutch. At least I know that he is capable of love and not just lust. If only it could be me that he loves.

We have grown closer since Director Shepard's passing. We were separated for four months. Separated by newly appointed Director Vance. Gibbs, to this day, feels it was a punishment … I believe that. Tony suffered. He was sent out to sea. "Agent afloat." He drank too much, slept too little and beat himself up. His guilt was immense … it still is. We've talked about it. He will not allow me to take any responsibility for what happened. He carries that pain alone. I carry his pain. What's done is done. She knew what she was doing … suicide to protect Gibbs. That was the bottom line. I snooped … it's what I do. She was ill, very ill. This man … these men that were after her, were also after Gibbs. In the end, he was still in danger and he took care of business. I wonder if this was a partner thing. Years later … still watching her partner's back or was it, lover's, back?

It's a dangerous game we play … the old adage, _All's fair in love and war. _That saying crosses all language barriers … if you were wondering how I got that one right. I did … didn't I? It's true though … very true. We are agents fighting crime, fighting terrorism … war. Can we help it if we fall in love. Like Tony, falling in love with a gun runner's daughter and me, falling in love with my partner. Gibbs and Jenny? They were in love once and there was war.

It's a dangerous game we play … _All's fair in love and war. _I bet loving Tony would be like war … one minute we would be loving each other … the next we would be wrestling for the remote. Maybe I should tell him … it sounds like fun. I hope that's how it was for Jethro and Jenny. I have a feeling it was. It may not have been the remote they were wrestling over, but she did have a twinkle in her eyes when she looked at him. Maybe they wrestled over who got the collar.

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WOW! Thank you all so much for putting this story on alert status! I realize these chapters are short, but I have a short attention span! Next up: Tony and Ziva **_in _**the elevator!


	3. Behind closed doors

**Before reading this chapter ... I've gone over the deep end today! Okay, read on.**

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_CHAPTER THREE: A fly on the wall_

**Behind The Elevator Doors**

**The Elevators** **POV … Yup, that's what I said!**

Thirty four hundred pound capacity. Impressive, ain't I? I have to tell you, I do get nervous sometimes. Most people at NCIS are in pretty good shape though. Thin, muscular … they take good care of themselves. My top weight here has been around … oh … maybe, fifteen hundred pounds. That's on a rush morning. Mondays usually, everybody's late for work and they all cram into to me … the elevator …never worried that they have exceeded my limit. I do my job and I do it well. I have great perks too … I know all the secrets. _**All** _the secrets!

Let me start with the saga of Tony and Ziva … shall I?

He loves her, she loves him, but …

… do you all know Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs? He has these rules. I hear him talk about them in me. He has a rule for everything. _**Everything**_. He was alone in me one day and he said and I'm quoting, "Elevators should have coffee bars in them. That should be a rule." Anyway, he has this rule about fraternization , in other words … don't. I think, that is one of the reasons that has kept these two apart.

This hottie Doctor was another. _**Smoking**_ hot Doctor. Poor Tony. That wasn't really his fault. She was an assignment that his heart got in the way of. I hear a lot of people say … I wish a were a fly on the wall … I'm that fly … that's how I know these things. Tony agonized over his every move with her, especially toward the end. In the end, he lied. He told her that there was nothing real between them. When the Doctor stepped into me, she cried … I wish I had a voice to scream to her, "he's lying, he loves you." I'm a romantic elevator.

Then there is Ziva … the Mossad Assassin. She can kill a man with a paperclip. I wonder what she can do to an elevator. I would shutter if I could. She's a hard ass, but she's a woman, a beautiful and sometimes vulnerable woman. I think she would take me apart with that paperclip if she knew I thought that. Now I know what you're thinking … elevators don't think … this is FANFICTION, thank you very much. As I was saying, one day, she an Abby … ooh la la , by the way! She and Abby were talking about a man that broke her heart back in Israel … do they have elevators in Israel? She started to cry. It's wonder I'm not a rust bucket!

Okay, okay … cut to the chase … Tony and Ziva. This conversation took place in me … this morning. I love being the elevator at NCIS. My friend over at the FBI said that they're an uptight lot and he never hears anything … must be Fornell!

Tony steps in and leans up against the back wall. Ziva enters the building and sees that my doors are about to close … she can't see Tony.

"Hold the doors please."

_Ziva. _Tony stops my doors from closing and allows Ziva to enter. He quickly punches my button to close the doors so no one else can enter. We can all hear someone else call to hold the doors, _McGeek_, but I close my doors extra quick … I am the romantic elevator.

"Good morning Ziva."

"Tony."

It's a stare down and a quick look away.

"What?"

"What, what?"

"You were looking at me funny, Tony."

"I was not."

"Was too!"

Oh gees … they're like two kids. I press my own emergency stop button.

"Why did you do that?"

"Ziva … I'm standing over here … back against the wall. _No kidding. _Why did _**you**_ do it?"

"I didn't do it."

Ziva starts to push my buttons … in more ways than one. I'm not budging. I am a romantic _**and **_stubborn elevator.

"Great, it's stuck."

"I'll call maintenance."

That will be the day I let those fools touch me.

"I can't get a cell signal … can you?"

"Tony, what's happening?'

"I don't know. The call box in the elevator won't work. Our cells are dead and you and I are stuck … alone. It must be fate Ziva."

Or … McGee's not the only geek that can make things happen around here.

"What do you mean fate, Tony?"

"This gives us time to talk."

"About?"

"You and I."

"What about us?"

Tony grabs her hand … I could tell he was a little frightened, but he did it. He sat on my floor and motioned for her to do the same. She did but was hesitant.

"How long have we been partners, Officer David?"

"Four years, give or take … Special Agent DiNozzo."

"And in those four years, I have grown … very fond of you."

"Fond of me … you mean … like a puppy dog?"

This is not going well.

"No, NO … of course not. I mean … would you like to have dinner with me sometime?"

"Like a date?"

"Yes, like a date."

"What about Gibbs' rules?"

"What's discussed in the elevator … stays in the elevator."

I won't tell if you don't!

"Can I think about it?"

"No pressure … just let me know."

I've had enough … she was leaving him on the ropes. Typical woman. She'll say yes, she just didn't want to seem too easily persuaded by the DiNozzo charm.

I started myself up and brought them to their floor. Gibbs yelled at them for being late. I was blamed for not working properly. Sue me … I hear all the good secrets … _**all**_ of them Gibbs!

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**Just a reminder ... I have gone over the deep end ... Hope you enjoyed my break down! Thanks for reading. Judy**


	4. A knock on the door

**Tiva continues.**

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_CHAPTER FOUR: Tony gives Ziva a gift ... a door opens._

**A Knock On The Door**

Several hours had past since Tony and Ziva had left NCIS headquarters for the evening. They, along with Gibbs and McGee had just put to bed a case involving a Marine Lieutenant, a Naval Ensign and the murder of circus clown … an ex-Marine. This case would go down in history as one of the weirdest. Gibbs told them to go home , forget about the case and get some rest. Tony had something else in mind … Ziva.

He showed up at her doorstep with a gift … he knocked on her door. She peeked through her peephole and smiled. She waited … as to not look too excited to see him, then she opened her door.

"Tony, this is a surprise. What brings you here?"

He produces the present from behind his back.

"I brought you a gift. May I come in?"

"Why so formal?" She noted that he had changed his clothes and smelled of the most wonderful cologne.

"Well, I've come over unannounced … I don't want to interrupt your evening, Ziva."

"Please, come in."

Tony walks past Ziva and notices what she is wearing as well. Sweats … hanging below her waist and her shirt not quite meeting them. He could see her very toned abdomen and her tanned skin. She smelled of jasmine … like she had freshly showered. He sat on her couch and invited her to sit by him. When she did, he handed her the gift.

Ziva excitedly unwrapped her present.

"Oh, Tony, you shouldn't have … it's a _**Sig Sauer**_?"

"Yeah. I noticed at the gun range the other day, you were having problems with yours. This one is a special edition law enforcement issue. They only made about eight hundred of them. I bought you the teal one. She's pretty _like you_ … don't you think?"

"It is … _**pretty**_. Thank you Tony, I love it."

She clumsily gave him a hug. He returned it, but didn't want to let go. He turned his face into her hair and inhaled … this sent Goosebumps up and down Ziva's spine. She pulled away slightly, looked him in the eyes and placed a soft kiss on his lips. She whispered to him as she pulled all the way out of his arms …

"Thank you for caring. That was very sweet."

Tony, also whispering.

"I don't want you to have a gun that misfires. I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to you."

She placed another soft kiss on his lips.

"Most women get flowers, but they die … I see how a Sig Sauer can be just as romantic, Tony."

"Ziva … I think I'm falling in love with you."

"That's good Tony … I didn't want to have to use this on you."

Ziva held up a paperclip. Tony smiled. He was happy that Ziva opened her door to him … he was hoping for her bedroom door next.

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**_Fin. _Thanks for reading:) I'm thinking of writing "The Adventures of The NCIS Elevator" next ... let me know what you think ... thanks!**


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